Abacus



Oct. 24, 1950 R. E. RlcKARD Erm. 2,527,080

ABAcus Filed Feb. 9, 194e Fig. 2

d? 1 QMoeutor BB 04m/MWC Gttorneg Patented Oct. 24, i950 y Ralph E. Rickard and Howard C. 'ran-y,

Berkeley, Calif. A

Application February 9, 1948-, SerialNo. 7,134

This invention relates to devices adapted to aid blind persons in the making of arithmetical computations, and has for its principal object the provision of an abacus which will be compact,v

easy to operate and which will not be subject to inadvertent :changesof setting.

A further-'object ofl the invention is the provision of an abacus having an adjustable register by which the decimal point can be located with reference to the vertical rows of counters.

Devices presently in use, such as beads mounted on wires contained ina frame, are often unsatisfactory owing to the fact that the set position of the beads is easily disturbed, unknown to the operator, by contact with the sleeve. A.

The subject invention not only precludes the aforementioned possibility, butl also provides a device that can be held securely in one hand while the counters are' manipulated with the other hand. f w

We accomplish the above object by means of the device `described hereinand illustrated on the accompanying drawing, yforming part hereof, and in which Figure 1 s a plan view of a preferred embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device shown on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 with the spacers removed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a rectangular box like housing 5 has ve rods, 6, 1, 8, 9 and Ill respectively, mounted between the ends thereof. The rods, which lie in a common plane parallel to the bottom of the housing 5, are spaced as is best shown on Figure 3, and have identical counters II pivotally mounted thereon. Each counter II is spaced apart from the adjacent counter by means of a tubular spacer I2, mounted on the rods as indicated on Figures 1 and 2. The arrangement of counters II and spacers I2 is identical on each of the five rods, and in the present embodiment, provides ve horizontal rows of counters in nine vertical rows, although the number of vertical rows can be more or less, depending upon the capacity of the device.

The counters II are formed of single parallel strips of metal as can be seen on Figure 3, having ring portions I3 at their lower ends, which frictionally engage the rods 6 to I. The upper ends of the counters Il have nger engaging projections or keys I4 by means of which they are manipulated. Intermediate the ring portion I3 and the key I4, each counter II is formed with a second ring like portion I5, the protrud- 16 claims. (c1. 35-33) y ingsides of which form stops .for the counters in their various positions,-and which also serve to maintain sufficient space between the keys. I4 for the insertion of the fingers during operation.

Two parallel cross bars IB and II extend longitudinally of' the housing. 5, parallelwith rods 6,

and. 1., but located above the same in a position wherethey will. restrict the pivoting .movement of the'counters I Ibycontacting the enlarged por-v In'operation, the position of all the counters I I of a vertical row in a position remote from the cross bars I6 and Ilrepresents zero in said vertical rows. Moving of a counteronrod I against crossvbar Il registers thedigit 1 in the particular'column. lMoving a counter .on rod 8'up behind ?it represents the dig-it. 2 and so on until all fourof the lower counters are moved up. To register 'the numeral 5, the fourcounters are brought back into their voriginal position, and the counter on rod 6 is lowered to contact -the cross bar I6, and then thelower counters can be moved up again successively to register six, seven, eight and nine respectively.

Ignoring the decimal point marker, which will be described herein, the device as illustrated is set to register 8.201.

Secured in the rim of the housing 5 is a wire I8 which holds a slidably mounted bead I9 in frictional engagement against the front edge of the device. The bead I9 is set as desired t0 mark the position ofthe decimal point, and as illustrated, in relation to the counters as shown, discloses a setting representing 8.201.

While we have disclosed a preferred embodiment of our invention, it should be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an abacus a frame including a plurality of substantially parallel bars, a series of spaced counters frictionally pivoted on each bar, said counters being arranged in series also transversely of said bars, a projection on each counter engageable for manipulation of the counter, and an abutment portion on each counter adapted to abut against the adjacent counter to hold said projections spaced from one another, when said adjacent counters of a transverse series are turned counters being arranged in series also transversely A asam of said bars, a projection on each counter engageable for manipulation of the counter, and an abutment portion on each counter adapted to abut against the adjacent counter to hold said projections spaced from one another, when said adjacent counters of a transverse series are turned in the same direction, each of said transverse series of counters being separated into a multiple group, and av separate counterV aligned with the group for indicating the total of said transverse row.

3. In an abacus a frame including a plurality of substantially parallel bars, a series of spaced counters frictionally pivoted on each bar, said counters being arranged in seriesA alsdtransversely of said bars, a projection on each counter engageable for manipulation of the counter, and an abutment portion on each counter adapted to abut against the adjacent counter to hold lsaid projections spaced from one another, when said adjacent counters ofatransverse seriesareturned in the same direction,` eachpof said: transverse series of counters including' avgroup of four adjacent counters and a fifth spaced -from but aligned with said?. group.

4. In an abacus 'a frame including a plurality of substantially parallel: bars, Aa seriesnof spaced counters frictionally pivoted. on eachr bar, said counters ybeing arranged in-series also transverselyof said bars, a projection on each counter engageable for manipulation of the counter, and an abutment portion on feach counter adapted'to abut against the adjacent counter to:v hold said projections spaced fromv one` another, when. said adjacent counters'of a transverse series are turned' in the same direction, eachv of said transverse series ofcounters being separated. intoz'amultiple group, and aaseparate counter aligned witl'rthe' group for. indicating' the: total.. of. saidV transverse row and abutment elements between saidgroup and` saidV separateI counter, vto locate. said sepa;- rate counter and4 the adjacent.- counter' of. said group in counting position..

5. In an abacus a frame including a plurality of substantially parallel bars, a series of spaced counters frictionally pivoted on each bar, said counters being arranged in series also transversely of said bars, a projection on each counter engageable for manipulation of the counter, and an abutment portion on each counter adapted to abut against the adjacent counter to hold said projections spaced from one another, when said adjacent counters of a transverse series are turned in the same direction, each of said transverse series of counters including a group of four adjacent counters and a fth spaced from but aligned with said group and abutment elements between said 4group and said fifth counter to 1ocate Vsaicl fth counter and the next adjacent counter of the group in counting position.

6. In an abacus a frame, a plurality of counters, a4 plurality of pivots supporting said counters in spaced groups, each counter including a hub frictionallyheld on one `of said .pivots in a selected positiom a tip ^projection for manipulatiomXand a body connecting said ltip projection to said hub`, and an' abutment on. said body for holding. adjacent tip projections' spaced.

RALPHVE. RICKARD; HOWARDC; TARRY.

REFERENCES CITEDy The 'followingreferences are of record'in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

